Mechanically-operated grate-feeding means



May 27, 1930. A. E. WECK 1,750,572

- MECHANICALLY OPERATED GRATE FEEDING MEANS v Filed May 5, 1927" s Sheds-Sheet 1 May 27, 1930.

A. E. WECK MECHANICALLY OPERATED GRATE FEEDING MEANS' s snts-sneet 2 Filed May 5, 1927 v ww V mwavmg May 27, 1930.

A. E. wEcK MECHANICALLY OPERATED GRATE FEEDING MEANS Filed May 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 AMz/C/K i BOfever not been generally accepted in the arts Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDER nnwin WECK, or 150mm, enmumvi mEoHANIcAnLYprnRArEn GRATE-FEEIDING MEANS Application filed May 5, 1927, Serial No. 189,092, and in Germany December 15, 1926.

it This invention has reference to mechanically operated grate feeding meansprovided with coalthrowing shovels disposed in the stoking neck or stoking aperture of the r furnace, and among other objects it is intended to facilitate the manipulation of devices of this kind andto arrive at a more thorough and more. economical utilization of the furnacespace. In the grate feeding devices with rocking coal throwing shovels the latter are generally disposed above the stoking neck or stoking aperture, that isto say a stoking opening is provided above whichthere is another opening for the feedingxshovel adapted .1. the coal above the stoking neck. In such cases it has been suggested to disposed the feeding shovel w ithin the opening of the stoking neck, so as to be ableto combine a suflicientlyhigh stoking neck with a surface of comparatively low height. In the furnace spaces "of this kindthere will also be an additional free space for the throwing of the (min the upward direction. Structures in y accordance with these principles have howon account of the generally unsatisfactory arrangement of the means for the actuation of the feeding shovel. Now, this invention is intended to devise new andhighly satisfactory means: for the operation of the feeding shovel, which will satisfy all requirements of practical operation. The shovel in accord ance with this invention is rocked in the usual manner by a suitable driving mechanism for the grate feeding means. The coal itself is placed in front of the feeding shovel in the otherwise well known manner by coal admitting means. As long as the feeding shovel is rockinglyreciprocated and as long as a sup- ,ply of coal is droppedin front of the shovel previous to each throw, the grate feeding means operate inthe usual manner. If it is desired however to reach the fire space through the stoking neck, it isnot suflicient toarrest the grate feeding means, but it is to distribute the coal over the grate. With i to each other.

necessary to swing the throwing shovel upwards, so to expose the stoking'neck.

boiler with a smoke stack in front thereof and applicants device attached thereto- Figs. 5 and 6 are two views of the throwing shovel taken at right angles to each other.

Figs. 7 and 8 are two views'of the detachable clutch coupling taken at right angles to each other. 1

Figs. 9 and 10 are two views of the throwing springlever taken at right angles to each other. I

Figs. 11 and 12 are two views of the hand operator for the device taken at right angles Figs. 13 and 14: are two views of the hand shifting'lever taken at right-angles to each other. t i 7 Figs. 15 and 16 are two views of a coupling 8 shifting lever taken atright angles to each other. i y

Fig. 17 is a view of a clutch operator.

Fig.18 is a view of this clutch operator fixed on its operating rod.

Figs. 19 and 20 are views of the guiding member taken at right angles .to each other.

Figs. 21 and 22 are two views ofan operating lug taken at right angles to each other. e t

Theinvcntion is a stoking device comprising the hopper A having a discharge chamber B at its lower end and an oscillating element C andguides D adapted to niovethe fuel from the hopper into the throwing box 95 or chamber E all of which are adapted to be secured to the fuel opening of a furnace.

Traversing the upper portion of the throwing be}; or chamber is the shaft 7) to whlch is secured an oscillating shovel is which takes ing box and one end of which extends be-v yond one of said walls. The shaft 1) extends at each end a distance beyond the throwing box, the walls of which are provided with pro er bearings e there-lion. At oneendi of the sha t there is provided means for rotating the shaft 1: partial revolution through a tripping device F operated by some power source transmitted thereto by the shaft F" and connected thereto'by the disengageablecoupling m which is adapted tobe engaged and diseng 'g by the operator n secured tothe re ciprocating rod n). This operator can be adjusted onthe' rod' n by the nuts-n (see Fig. 18). The other end' of' the shaft b is providedwith the relatively movable collar 0 having the arm a to; which are Secured corresponding ends: of a pairof springs c the other ends; of which are held by the bracket I secured to the device. The collar 0 is, provided on one side with equally spaced lugs c" arranged parallel with: the axis of the collar with. walls thereof radial thereto. As a means for making-the, collar 0 rotate with the shaft. 7) a; sliding collar (1 iskeyed to the shaft 6, this collar being ovided on its face opposite the collar 0 wit i lugs asimilar to 1 those on the collar 0 which when these lugs are moved into meshing engagement with each other movement can be imparted to the collar 0 from the shaft b or to the shaft b from the collar 0 The operation ofthe' device so far described is that the fuel in the hopper A is by various mechanisms f'ed down to a. position in. front of the shovel 10 (see Figs. 1' and 4') then rotation of the shaft 1) moves the shovel 10 backwards from this position a partial revolution of the shaft 5 through the power translating means. At the, end of such partial movement the trip means F inthe power translating means is released and the shovel 7c ismoved inthe opposite direction by the energy of the springs 0 thereby striking the fuel and trajecting it through the fuel opening in the furnace over the fire therein.

The ring a is also provided in its opposite face, with lugs a similar to the lugs a and with a circular groove p the purposes of v which will] be made more apparent hereinafter.

Rotatably. mounted on the bearing e for the shaft b is a member d having a circular opening d and havin lugs d corresponding to the I-ugsa formed, on the ring a. Stop lugs e and d are provided on the bearing and the member (Z respectiveIy. The'member d is provided with an arm (Z extending upadapted to engagein the "slot 29 of the ring a.

Pivotal-movement of the hand lever moves the ring a laterally to engage the ring with either of the members-(Zonal. Nhen engaged with c the operation of the shovel is as described above;- VVhenengaged with the mem oer clthe shaft Z) can benianua'l-l-y rotated by grasping the finger (1 using it as a handle to move the shovel to a horizontal position above the fuel opening in the furnace. The

movement ofthe memher d by the engagement of the member 77 with ca-ins rot-at'es'the guide Q to a horizontal position (seeFig. When the guideg and shovel 7c are in this position, by opening the door H the fire can be inspected through the throwing be and the operator isenabled tov use the ordinary tools employeilto rake and stir up the fire in thefurnace.

As a means for engaglng' or disengaging the coupling on through the rod n and the operator if" there is provided the pivoted lever M" having a roller 0 at one end of the lever engaging in the groove in the ring a, thereby in'iparting movement of the ring a to the lever n Movement of the lever is imparted to reciprocate the rod m by link a and the pivoted lever 17?. By this means described above the operator of the device when he. moves the ring a to either of its operative positions also disen'ga'ges the coupling'm so that rotation of the shaft Z) is controlledby the desire of 118 operator; fMeans is also rovi'd'ed for operating the feeding device a from the power translating device F by the link connections H (see Fig: 2);

It has to be und'erst'oodthat the invention in. its broad aspects is not confined to the particul'ar" embodiments herein shown by' way of Xemplili'cation only, but it may be modilied to suit existing conditions to facilitate manipulations, and without thereby deviating from the spirit of the invention as expressed inthe claims hereunto appended.

1;. In a mechanical stoker comprising a throwing box, means for supplying fuel to the box in charges, a shaft traversing said box, a throwing shovel mounted on said shaft,.a lever loosely mounted in. said shaft, spring operating means secured to the end of said lever, a han'd operating lever mounted topivot on the axis of theshaft, a movable member splin'ed' on said shaft, and engageable with either of said levers, and means to move said movable member into engagement with either of said levers.

2. In a mechanical stoker comprising a throwing box, means for supplying fuel to the box in charges, a shaft traversing said box, a throwing shovel mounted in said shaft,

- a lever loosely mounted on said shaft, spring operating means secured to the end of said lever, a movable member splined on said shaft, interengaging means on said member and lever, a hand operating lever mounted to pivot on the axis of the shaft, the movable member being located between the hand operating lever and the lever to which the spring means are secured, adjacent faces of the hand operating lever and the movable member being provided with interengaging means, and means for moving sa1d movable member to engage either with the spring operated lever or with the hand operating lever.

3. In a mechanical stoker comprising a throwing box, a shaft traversing the throwing box to which a throwing shovel is secured, a second shaft traversing said throwing box and to which a fuel uiding member is secured,'a hand lever plvoted to rock on the axis of the shaft to which the shovel is secured, releasable means to connect the hand lever to the shaft to rotate the shaft,

a cam lever on the shaft holding the guiding member, means on the hand lever adapted to engage saidc'am lever to rotate the shaft carrying the guiding member whereby the shovel and the guiding member are moved simultaneously to an inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALEXANDER ERWIN WEGK. 

